The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of New Zealand flax grown for use in the landscape, or for use as a container plant. The new cultivar is known botanically as Phormium tenax and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘JUBILEE’.
‘JUBILEE’ is a naturally occurring and plant mutation that was discovered by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Arroyo Grande, Calif. ‘JUBILEE’ arose as follows:
In 2000, the inventor purchased a Phormium plant labeled as Phormium ‘Red Heart’ (unpatented) from a commercial nursery in California. The inventor was attracted to ‘Red Heart’ by its foliage which was predominantly red on its upper surface with narrow green margins.
Phormiums may be propagated by division of the basal clump, and the divided elements may be described as fans. In 2000, the inventor decided to propagate the purchased plant and by 2003 had built up a stock of approximately 2,000 plants in one gallon containers. Meanwhile, the inventor made enquiries with other California nurseries that produce and known Phormiums. The inventor has concluded that ‘Red Heart’ was a local misnomer, and that the purchased plant was a plant of the Phormium variety named ‘Jester’ (unpatented) which had entered commerce around the time of the inventor's original purchase.
In 2003, the inventor observed that one section of the basal clump of one plant of ‘Jester’ appeared to carry the reverse variegation compared to its parent. Instead of bearing predominantly red foliage with a green margin (upper leaf surface), the observed section exhibited predominantly green foliage with a red margin. The inventor considers that this atypical growth arose as a spontaneously occurring mutation.
In 2003, the inventor excised this one section to make a single fan for establishing as a new plant growing on its own roots in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The fan grew successfully and the inventor has subsequently propagated repeatedly from the original, using the method of division. The inventor has determined that all plants subsequently propagated have remained true to the type of the original observed mutation. The inventor has named this new cultivar ‘JUBILEE’, the subject of the present specification.
In comparison with the parent variety, ‘Jester’, which is also the variety of Phormium which the inventor considers most closely resembles ‘JUBILEE’, ‘JUBILEE’ exhibits the following distinguishing characteristics: First, the variegation of the upper surface of the leaves is reversed as between ‘Jester’ and ‘JUBILEE’, as described herein. Second, whereas the lower leaf surface of ‘Jester’ is green, the color of the lower leaf surface of ‘JUBILEE’ is red with dark stripes. Third, when comparing plants of similar age, the width of the leaves of ‘JUBILEE’ is approximately half of the width of the leaves of ‘Jester’. Fourth, ‘JUBILEE’ appears to be faster growing that ‘Jester’, with a denser and more tightly clumping habit achieved in the same growing period.
‘JUBILEE’ is a vigorous plant with an upright clumping habit. To the observer, ‘JUBILEE’ appears to be bright red by virtue of the prominent red margins of the upper leaf surface and the redness of the entire lower leaf surface.
Cultural requirements include full sun to part shade, occasional to regular water, and well-draining loam soil.
There is not resistance or susceptibility to any pests or disease known to the inventor.
‘JUBILEE’ has produced no flowers to date.